Almost there…

Just ten days until I have my last class and 18 until I graduate, in front of Ban Ki Moon, my mum (coming from the UK), Dad, and step mum (coming from the Bahamas). Hard to get my head around at this point!

In the meantime I have to finish writing my Bahamian trade and development Significant Research Project (SRP – sort of a mini, but not in actual fact very mini, thesis…), two final essays for Martin Rhodes’ Political Economy of Globalisation class (great class, in which we have touched on issues relating to the inequality effects of trade, how welfare systems come into being and evolve, the origins and remedies of financial crises, the advantages/disadvantages of different varieties of capitalism…), and a presentation and final paper for Rick Ridder’s International Campaign Management class (our group presentation will see us present a campaign and communication strategy for the Australian Green party going into the elections this year).

In around a month I will return to The Bahamas where I have accepted a job as the Business Editor of one of the two major daily newspapers there, The Nassau Guardian. I’m really excited to be able to put to use a lot of what I’ve learnt in the GFTEI program – international economics, political economy, investment, trade, business, finance, economic development – applying it to the particular challenges in The Bahamas. I was a business reporter before but the GFTEI program has enabled me to gain an in depth level of understanding of many issues that I lacked and which will position me well to highlight what people need to know about the business and economic landscape in The Bahamas and beyond. Having used some of my class assignments to do research projects on specific aspects of the economy – trade agreements the country has signed, the domestic financial sector, inequality – I feel like I now have a more detailed understanding of some of these key areas which I can use to make sure I ask the right questions and pursue important angles.

I feel extremely fortunate to have been offered the post, particularly as many of my very employable fellow students here at Korbel are finding the job search to be quite arduous. To be sure, people are finding jobs, and it is early days, but I fear that with the combination of the continuing weakness in the economy overall, combined with the US government’s sequester, opportunities are at a low, and competition at an all time high. Networking is definitely more important than ever, and luckily for me, a job as a reporter prior to coming to Korbel turns out to have been an excellent networking opportunity which I have been able to capitalise on now that I am finishing here. I’m looking forward to seeing where everyone eventually ends up… and for them all to come and visit me on my little rock in the Atlantic as soon as possible!

I’m going to write some more in depth reflections on my time at Korbel at some point when I have some more time, but for now, if there are any specific questions that you might have about the school, the GFTEI program, and anything else that might help you figure out if it is the right choice for you, just leave me a comment.